St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

Facebook Delicous MySpace

Twitter Stumble Digg

More Destinations

All
Wikipedia
Video
Comments

Feastday: October 30
1532 - 1617

Confessor and Jay brother, also called Alonso. He was born in Segovia, Spain, on July 25, 1532, the son of a wealthy merchant, and was prepared for First Communion by Blessed Peter Favre, a friend of Alphonsus' father. While studying with the Jesuits at Alcala, Alphonsus had to return home when his father died. In Segovia he took over the family business, was married, and had a son. That son died, as did two other children and then his wife. Alphonsus sold his business and applied to the Jesuits. His lack of education and his poor health, undermined by his austerities, made him less than desirable as a candidate for the religious life, but he was accepted as a lay brother by the Jesuits on January 31, 1571. He underwent novitiate training and was sent to Montesion College on the island of Majorca. There he labored as a hall porter for twenty-four years. Overlooked by some of the Jesuits in the house, Alphonsus exerted a wondrous influence on many. Not only the young students, such as St. Peter Claver, but local civic tad and social leaders came to his porter's lodge for advice tad and direction. Obedience and penance were the hallmarks of his life, as well as his devotion to the Immaculate Conception. He experienced many spiritual consolations, and he wrote religious treatises, very simple in style but sound in doctrine. Alphonsus died after a long illness on October 31, 1617, and his funeral was attended by Church and government leaders. He was declared Venerable in 1626, and was named a patron of Majorca in 1633. Alphonsus was beatified in 1825 and canonized in September 1888 with St. Peter Claver.

from Wikipedia

Previous Saint
< St. Airick

Next Saint
St. Alphonsus Marie Liguori >

Saint of the Day

Learn about the lives of the saints and other saint resources, including a calendar, over 5,000 saint biographies, our most popular saints, and a list of patron saints. 7 days / week. See Sample

E-mail: Zip Code:

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Find Saint: Products | Books | Prayers | Saint of the Day

Search Saints:

Rate This Saint

Was this helpful to you? Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful at All

Was this helpful to you? Yes, I am Interested No, I am not Interested

1 - 7 of 7 Comments

Joseph Mathew
6 months ago
St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, please pray for us, to be loyal to Jesus always.
Jean-Pierre Petit
6 months ago
Obedience and humility practiced heroically everyday of his long life brings tears to one's eyes. In this day and age of selfishness and self centeredness this is refreshing. The Order of Sainte-Croix I believe, was the order under which Frère André (Bessette) another humble porter spent his life in sainthood in Montréal promoting another neglected humble saint, Joseph. How moving, both worked their life on an island as both Majorca and Montreal are islands.
christopher
6 months ago
St alphonsus please pray for me and my family
god bless you
Amen
Fran S. Pulumbarit
1 year ago
In reading St. Alphonsus Rodriguez' life, I can't help but think of the similarity between him and our first male-born Canadian saint that was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI about a year ago from Montreal, Quebec. His name is St. Andre Bissette....like St. Alphonsus, he had no education, was declined to enter the seminary, but finally admitted to the Order (the name of the Order escapes me) by the Bishop, Andre Provencal (thus the name Andre Bissette). He was a door man in the seminary, did all kinds of labour job, was a barber, etc. etc. His life was inspired by St. Joseph and people came to him for advise and miracles of healing started to happen of which he always attributed to God with the intercession of St. Joseph....he built a small chapel to St. Joseph, did lots of fund-raising that led to the building of the biggest and grandest Shrine in the whole of Canada, the Oratory of St. Joseph in Montreal, Quebec.
christie
1 year ago
St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, I am privileged to know you through the Catholic Online. You lost your whole earthly family, your 3 children and your wife. But look at how that transformed you to become a lay Jesuit and finally as hall porter for the Jesuits for 24 years. Though you were a man who had wealth and comfort, you embraced a life of humility, prayer and sacrifice. I'm truly happy that God gave you many spiritual consolations. I think this His response to one who loves Him. Please pray for all Catholics to be humble in serving Him, in every Church ministry, as lectors, singers, EMHC and teachers of Catechism. Grant that through your intecession, we too may receive "many spiritual consolations". I beleive that Christ touches us in the daily circumstances of our life. only we don't notice HIs gentle promptings.
margo
2 years ago
I was very much impressed and inspired by his life story. I will go on the internet to get more information about him. People of such obedience and humility attract me. St. Alphonsus please pray for me that I may have your humility and obedience to God and that I may die to myself so that God lives in me. Please pray also for the conversion of my family and my extended family. Thank you St. Alphonsus.
Calvin J. Rodriguez
2 years ago
Pray for, me my loving namesake, that I might gain your virtues.

Comments submitted must be civil, remain on-topic and not violate any laws including copyright. We reserve the right to delete any comments which are abusive, inappropriate or not constructive to the discussion.

Though we invite robust discussion, we reserve the right to not publish any comment which denigrates the human person, undermines marriage and the family, or advocates for positions which openly oppose the teaching of the Catholic Church.

This is a supervised forum and the Editors of Catholic Online retain the right to direct it.

We also reserve the right to block any commenter for repeated violations. Your email address is required to post, but it will not be published on the site.

We ask that you NOT post your comment more than once. Catholic Online is growing and our ability to review all comments sometimes results in a delay in their publication.

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Send me important information from Catholic Online and it's partners. See Sample

Post Comment

Previous Saint
< St. Airick

Next Saint
St. Alphonsus Marie Liguori >

Find Saints

Catholic Online offers the largest searchable database of Catholic Saints on the internet.

Browse Saints by Alphabet	A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Patron Saints by Alphabet	A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z